Native American Art
ON THE COVER / Southern Plains Buffalo
Sold for $41,275
Sold for $38,400
Northern Plains Painted Hide Shield Cover, with Shield; The Emily T. and Adolphus Andrews Collection of Native American Art
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Native American Art
Uniting the distinguished legacies of Cowan’s, Hindman, and Freeman’s under one enduring name, Freeman’s Native American Art Department stands among the foremost leaders in the field. With a legacy built on trust, expertise, and proven results, we are uniquely positioned to present exceptional works and distinguished collections. We invite collectors and consignors to partner with our specialists for thoughtful guidance, global reach, and outstanding outcomes with regular auctions held in Chicago and Philadelphia.
We have handled over $50 million of Native works from across the North American continent. Our Historic Native Art auctions, held biannually in Chicago, focus on objects dating from the 17th through the early 20th century. These sales feature early effigy pipes, tobacco bags, moccasins, clubs and tomahawks, Navajo weavings, Pueblo pottery, baskets from California, the Great Basin, and the Southwest, as well as Northwest Coast, Iñupiat, and Inuit sculpture, carvings, and tools.
Our Modern and Contemporary Native Art auctions trace the dynamic evolution of the field from the 1950s to today’s most influential artists. These sales—held in our Philadelphia office in tandem with our Western Art category—feature works by Tony Abeyta, David Bradley, Preston Duwyenie, Tammy Garcia, Diego Romero, Ramona Sakiestewa, Fritz Scholder, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and Luis Tapia, among others.
Silver and turquoise, iconic materials in Native jewelry, take center stage in our two dedicated Native and Southwestern jewelry auctions held in Chicago. These sales illuminate the history of indigenous jewelry making, from early historical ingot work to the innovation and brilliance of contemporary design. Highlights include works by Juan de Dios, Leekya Deyuse, Lambert Homer, Charles Loloma, Denise Wallace, and Lee Yazzie, alongside early 20th-century curios and souvenirs such as spoons, bookends, and boxes, as well as select examples of Mexican silver.
Over the years, Freeman’s has had the privilege of representing a number of distinguished collections within our Native Art category, including those of James B. Scoville; Emily T. and Adolphus Andrews; Forrest Fenn; Marilyn Eber; Robert P. and Barbara Hunter; and Hoffman Birney.
Tlingit Polychrome Carved Totem Pole Sold for $22,500
01 / Cheyenne River Pictorial Tobacco Bag, fourth quarter 19th century Sold for $100,000
02 / Navajo Bisti Weaving Sold for $20,160
03 / Virgil Ortiz (Cochiti, b. 1969)
Pueblo Runner, 2010 Sold for $6,300
04 / Luis Tapia (New Mexican, b. 1950) El Gato Negro Sold for $3,438
Leo Poblano, Attributed (Zuni, 1905-1959)
Exceptional Mosaic Inlay Bear Dancer, ex CG Wallace Collection, 1946
Sold for $20,160
Attributed to Elizabeth Hickox (Wiyot, 1872–1947)
Lidded Basket Sold for $8,750
01 / Philip Gray (Tsimshian-Cree, b. 1983)
Mountain Goats of Temlaxam Sold for $8,125
02 / Jessa Rae Growing Thunder (Dakota / Nakoda, 21st century)
Pictorial Beaded Flat Bag, 2010 Sold for $3,438
03 / Helen Hardin (Santa Clara, 1943-1984) Father Sky, Universal Protector, 1974 Sold for $20,160
01 / Thomas Red Owl Haukaas (Lakota, b. 1950) Pictorial Beaded Cradle, 2005-2006
Sold for $9,375
02 / Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (Confederated Salish/Kootenai, b. 1940) Fireweed Sold for $350,000
03 / Nunivak Island Carved Cribbage Board Sold for $13,750
Sioux Twisted Pipe Stem with Catlinite Bowl, Believed to Belong to Sitting Bull From the Collection of Forrest Fenn Sold for $125,000
1887-1980 / 1885-1943)
1925-1943
Sold for $37,800
THE
ON
BACK / Denise Wallace (ChugachSugpiaq, b. 1957) Bird
Head Mask, 1/1, 1993
Sterling Silver and 14K Gold Necklace
Sold for $13,860
Maria and Julian Martinez (San Ildefonso,
Painted Redware Pottery Plate,
Specialists
Danica Farnand
Vice President, Head of Department
513.666.4935 | danicafarnand@freemansauction.com
Danica Farnand has led Freeman’s Native American Art Department since 2003, founding the department at Cowan’s and building it into one of the most respected and influential Native art programs in the country. Through her vision and leadership, the department has become known for its carefully curated auctions spanning Historic, Modern, and Contemporary Native Arts, consistently achieving strong results while upholding the highest standards of scholarship and connoisseurship.
A nationally recognized authority in the field, Ms. Farnand has served as an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow since 2016 and is widely regarded for her depth of knowledge, ethical stewardship, and trusted guidance to collectors and institutions. She holds a Master’s degree in Anthropology from the University of Cincinnati and a Bachelor’s degree in Art History from John Carroll University.
Erin Rust
Associate Vice President, Specialist
513.666.4947 | erinrust@freemansauction.com
Erin Rust has been a specialist in Native American Art at Freeman’s since 2017, beginning her career with Cowan’s. With a focus on expanding Freeman’s Native and Southwestern Jewelry auctions, she has developed them into highly regarded, industry-leading sales.
Ms. Rust has been an appraiser on Antiques Roadshow since 2023 and brings hands-on field experience from her work on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Montana and the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design with a minor in History, concentrating in Native Studies, from Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
To learn more about the department or request a complimentary estimate, please scan the QR code FREEMANSAUCTION.COM
